Presently, many telecommunications customers receive video content via a content processing device, such as a set top box (STB). Often, such telecommunications customers operate a data network for receiving data services, e.g., the Internet, and/or for data communications within the customer premises. However, content processing devices are generally not utilized in connection with the customer's data network. This is unfortunate because devices, e.g., computers, on the customer's data network, often include multimedia content that would be enhanced by being played back through the content processing device. For example, content processing devices such as STBs are often connected to media playback devices such as high-definition televisions, stereos, and the like that are designed for enhanced playback of many forms of media content, including any combination of images, audio, video, etc.
Present systems and methods for playing multimedia content through a content processing device such as an STB generally require a dedicated hardware connection, such as a universal serial bus (USB) connection, for playing the multimedia content through the STB. Using a connection such as a USB connection, many present systems and methods depend on specialized software for synchronizing content on a multimedia device with data stored on the STB.
Further, some systems and methods presently exist that allow a content processing device such as an STB to obtain multimedia content by accessing a server remote from the customer premises where the STB is located, and by downloading the multimedia content over a network such as the Internet. However, both the remote server and the network likely suffer from bandwidth and availability constraints that can make it inconvenient and difficult to access desired multimedia content. Such systems and methods seem particularly ungainly when one considers that many users have within their own customer premises computing devices with multimedia content that would be enhanced by viewing through a content processing device such as an STB, and that need not be accessed through an external network.
Accordingly, at present, telecommunications customers may play multi-media content stored on their computers through content processing devices such as STBs only with specialized hardware, software, and a manual effort of connecting hardware to the STB or by using a public external network such as the Internet. Telecommunications customers presently have no easy and efficient way in which to play multimedia content located on computing devices within their own customer premises utilizing any available media playback device, e.g., television sets, stereo receivers, etc., that are connected to content processing devices such as an STB.